The Pentagon is preparing to order roughly 30,000 troops to Iraq early next year in a move that would allow the U.S. to maintain 15 combat brigades in the country through 2009, The Associated Press has learned.

The deployments would replace troops currently there. But the decisions could change depending on whether Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, decides in the fall to further reduce troop levels in Iraq.

Several officials familiar with the deployments spoke on condition of anonymity because the orders have not yet been made public.

According to the officials, three active-duty Army brigade combat teams, one Army National Guard brigade and two Marine regimental combat teams are being notified that they are being sent to Iraq in early 2009. Officials would not release the specific units involved because the soldiers and Marines and their families have not all been told.

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"Behind every great fortune lies a great crime."Honore de Balzac

"Democrats work to help people who need help. That other party, they work for people who don't need help. That's all there is to it."~Harry S. Truman

my true suspicion though is why would there be a call for an increase in troop levels instead of a reduction...............my guess is the bushicons are still planning/preparing for some sort of illegal incursion into iran before bush leaves office in january.

if this happens we will be in a huge world of shit as some WWIII scenarois come into play. if this occurs it could be the vehicle that the bushicons are planning to use in the fear card that would help send this country into the martial law fantasy that the bushicons want so badly.

it stinks to high heaven.............i can literally smell the frickin rats.